You Dont have to be Evil to be Sorted Here
by Littlemissmeggylou
Summary: A look inside the Slytherin house. Surely everyone in Slytherine isn't evil. At least not when they arrive. Ardelle Novak sees how long you can stay a good person whilst being seduced by the dark side and have gryffindors look down their noses at you. HBP
1. Chapter 1

**You Don't have to be Evil to be Sorted Here…But it Helps.**

**Disclaimer-Dont own it.**

**Summary- I just got to thinking that not everybody in Slytherin is evil or at least not when they first arrive. **

**The Sorting.**

My first day at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, standing in the great hall waiting to be sorted. The crowd of first years was thinning out. It had to be me soon. I couldn't wait, it was so exciting. My sister just left. She got mostly O's in her OWL's and NEWT's. She was a Gryfindor. She didn't even have to try; she was just so naturally clever. It was my aim to do better than her. Growing up that was always my aim.

"Ardelle Novak," called Professor McGonagall. My turn. I made my way to the front and sat on the stool.

I knew the housing system. I would be placed in either; Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin. I assumed I would be placed in either Ravenclaw because I work hard and am quite clever or Gryffindor because that was my sisters' house.

McGonagall placed the crumpled old hat on my head. I felt strange almost vulnerable, the hat was stripping me down to my most basic personality traits.

"Ah yes, another Novak." The hat hissed. "You have drive, a need to prove yourself. Ambition. A good mind too. Hard worker. You are competitive. You don't study to improve your mind, you do it to prevail over others. Hmm. I say SLYTHERIN!"

Slytherin! Sytherin? That's where the evil kids go. I'd heard all the horror stories on the train. How the was never an evil wizard who hadn't been in slytherin. How You-know-who was one.

I stood up, kind of dazed. I hadn't expected that. I don't consider myself a horrible person. Well everyone has there moments but i wasnt evil. Not you-know-who evil. I walked to my table to the sounds of cheers from my fellow housemates. They all looked nice enough. Surely not everyone at this table was evil. As I sat down I looked over at my new head of house, Professor Snape. A sallow faced man with greasy black hair and cold black eyes. He gave me a curt nod by way of greeting. I swallowed hard and nodded politely back.

My sister had warned me about him and the other slytherin's. The way I understand it is Professor Snape is horrible to everyone except those in his own house. And all slytherin students victimize anyone and everyone. I sat calculating my options. Now that I think of it I supposed I'm on the winning side. Snape will be nice to me, slytherins will be nice to me, and all the other houses are rather benevolent. For a first day, things could definitely be worse.


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome to the Snake Pit**

On the train there had been much gawping at a 6th year student called Harry Potter. He'd been in all the papers now for weeks. There had been a huge kerfuffle at the ministry that had led to the official confirmation that you-know-who was back and the sacking of Cornelius Fudge. I'd had a quick look around before the sorting, he didn't seem to be at the Gryffindor table.

I recognised another boy further up my table with hair so blond it was white. A Malfoy. I had seen his fathers' picture in the Daily Prophet. He was a death eater. My stomach did a back flip and a wave of cold fell over me. These were to be the sort of people I was to be associated with. I couldn't begin to imagine what my sister would say. The perfect gryffindor. The thought of it made me sick.

The boy looked animated, telling a story that seemed to be a source of huge amusement to his friends. I shimmied up the bench to listen in.

"He looked like a tortoise on his back." His captive audience snickered. "Pathetic. I can't believe some people think he's the chosen one. Hopefully the train will be all the way back to London before he's found. You see I knew he was there. I saw his foot when he climbed into the luggage rack." He stopped bragging as he spotted something and pointed to the entrance of the great Hall.

The room fell silent for a moment before a cacophony of whispers announced the presence of Harry Potter. He looked sheepish as he hurried over to the other Gryffindors and Snape returned to his seat at the teacher table.

"His face is covered in blood!" I blurted. Realising who Malfoy must have just been talking about I tried to make myself look impressed instead of shocked.

"Why, thank you." Said Draco Malfoy, standing up and taking a bow. He smiled and winked at me. Then acted out the whole thing; particularly the look on Harry's face as he stamped on it. I quickly realized that I should stay on his good side if I had any sense at all. So I played along, perhaps a little too enthusiastically.

"Nice one, Malfoy!" I cheered. He seemed to enjoy the attention but the girl next to him, I would later discover her to be Pansy Parkinson, shot me a warning look. His girlfriend I presumed. She stroked his hair as he sat down and stared at me with distain.

Luckily for me the Headmaster stood up to address us. One of his hands was charred and painful looking. Other students noticed it too. He just smiled and shook his sleeve so his injury was not so visible. He had an endearing twinkle in his eye. He announced that Professor Slughorn would be taking potions from now on and our Head of House Severus Snape would be teaching Defence against the Dark Arts.

An explosion of applause erupted from our table. I cheered along with everyone else. The second year boy sitting next to me gave me a nudge and explained that Snape had been "after that job for about 15 years." It was the first time he had spoken all night.

"Then why didn't he get it before now?" I asked before realizing my stupidity. Uh oh. Why do I just have to say anything that comes into my head? The boy looked at me shrewdly. He had big but tired looking brown eyes.

"Dumbledore didn't trust him." He said simply. The applause died down around us and he finally shifted his gaze from me back to Dumbledore. It seemed we weren't the only ones discussing Snapes appointment. The headmaster allowed the hall to settle down before continuing.

"Now, as everybody in this hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength."

The air felt heavy with tension at the mention of… that name. I dared a glance at Malfoy who was using a wingardium leviosa charm on a fork. Apparently impassive to the topic at hand. Dumbledore continued stressing the dangerous times facing us and how if anyone saw or heard anything suspicious we were to report to a teacher.

I watched Malfoy nervously as he spun his fork on its axis he clocked me again. His icy blue eyes seemed to be searching me for my intentions. I looked away. He probably just thought I fancied him. He had an arrogant air about him. Almost like royalty. He was. He was slytherin royalty and probably expected to be treated as such.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sleeping with the enemy

We arrived in our dormitory after dinner led by our prefects; Draco Malfoy and Elise Bostwick. There was an air of excitement like we were about to have a girly sleepover I bagsied(1) the middle bed on the left.

There where six beds total; all four poster and draped with rich emerald sheets. On my right was a quiet girl with her long wavy blond hair tied back a pony tail. She hadn't said a word so far. From her trunk I gathered her name was L. Mordant. A particularly desperate part of me planned on making her my friend. Even if she didn't like me, she was so quiet she probably wouldn't tell me to get lost. She seemed shy and sweet. Not what I thought a slytherin should be. Maybe slytherins just get a bad press. What could this waify blond girl do that would be enough to consider her wicked?

On my left, however, was a loud balsy girl with her shiny black hair cut into a choppy bob. Her name was Nayeli Constanti. Her green eyes sparkling and she commanded the attention of everyone in the room. After sizing her up I thought she would be a valuable friend. I could imagine her being loyal to her friends and a bitch to everyone else.

As I sat there slyly calculating who would best serve me as a friend, I started to agree with my sorting more and more. It wasn't what a Gryffindor would do for sure but I don't think that makes me a bad person. No. There are worse things a person can do.

"What do you think of being a Slytherin then?" I asked.

"Well," said Nayeli. I wasn't shocked she would be the first to answer she hadn't stopped talking all the way from the great hall to...well, she still hadn't stopped!

"My family's been in Slytherin for years. It's an honour, a sign of good breeding. Salazar Slytherin always wanted to keep magic in all magic families. Purebloods like us."

Oh, my heart sank. I'm not pureblood. I'm not muggleborn though. God! That would be a crime in such company. Both my parents we're magical. It's just my mothers parents weren't. You see my grandmother was a squib and my grandfather a nobody. I suppose if you count immediate family only I was a pureblood. Unfortunately I'm sure my fellow slytherins wouldn't see it like that.

"So did you all guess you'd end up here then?" There were a few murmurs of 'Yeah, I guess so' amongst the dormitory. I noticed the little blond girl next to me shake her head. I wasn't the only one. It was nice to know I wasn't alone. I gathered my courage.

"I was a little surprised." My statement was met with mixed 'hmms' and 'really's' until a tall brunette girl in the bed opposite me agreed with me.

"Yeah. I was surprised. I mean its not that I'm not glad to be here. I'm just not sure what it means." Impressed with her bravery I looked at her case, S. Sphinks. I decided to further this topic.

"It doesn't mean you're a bad person though does it?" I meant it to sound like statement but it came out more like a question.

"Of course not!" exclaimed Nayeli getting back in the spotlight. "If anything slytherins are the most successful people out there in the real world. Cant get to the top without stepping on some toes and all that."

"So, none of you are supporters of …?" I couldn't even finish it. I don't know what possessed me to ask it.

"It's not my concern really. We're just kids." Nayeli started, yet again, "I agree that purebloods should be treated better than muggleborns but I think killing them's a bit harsh."

I think I've sussed Nayeli. Essentially harmless, bit selfish. I think she just likes to have an opinion on everything.

Before I fell asleep I had learnt the name of all the girls in our room. The quiet girl on my right was Lilah Mordant, on my left Nayeli Constanti, opposite Nayeli was Pearle Fortescue, opposite me was Sara Sphinks and next to her was Claudette Tavernier.

I still wondered what my parents and sister would think. Probably that I'm responsible for every unfortunate thing that has ever happened to our family. My sinister ways dragging them into the dark with me. As if reading my thoughts my rat, Bartleby, squeaked sympathetically at me. I questioned whether my sister being a Gryffindor and I being a Slytherin was just further proof that we would never get on. After all who'd ever imagine the serpent and the lion as friends?

AN(1) british slang for I've picked that one you cant have it!

My grammer sucks and my spelling isn't great. I was hoping that maybe some one would read through my chapters and help me correct these things before i post them. Anyone who's interested please leave a comment.

Thanks.

xxxMegxxx


	4. Chapter 4

-----

The common room was beautiful. Rich colours, luxurious fabrics, ornate iron candelarbras lighting the room. By the fireplace there were  
black leather sofas and green velvet chairs. Behind them was a large table to do homework on. The long velvet curtains were shut but behind them were large windows through which you could see anything you wished to with a simple incantation. It really appealed to me or at least the part of me that liked that muggle group Evanescence.

Draco Malfoy and a group of his friends sat on the comfortable chairs around the fire. It seemed the first years never get to sit in the  
comfy chairs. I saw Malfoy drag a boy from my class out of one earlier.

I sat at the mahogany table, quill in hand, trying in vain to write a letter home. I was trying to decide how to best explain that not all Slytherins are malevolent.

_Dear Mum Dad & Gabrielle,_

_I got here safe and sound last night. The feast was delicious. By the  
way I was sorted into_

No that was rubbish. I screwed it up and started again.

_Dear Mum Dad &Gabrielle,_

_The sorting hat said I had countless qualities that would be useful in  
many  
houses: ambition, diligence. Etc. After a long, long time it decided  
the  
house that would best suit me was Slytherin._

The boy who sat next to me a dinner last night joined me at the table with some books he'd probably got from the library. Surely he hadn't been given homework this early into the term.

"Letter home?" the boy said.  
"Yeah," I sighed.  
"Not going well?" he asked  
"What makes you think that?"  
He indicated the 6 or 7 screwed up bits of parchment in front of me.  
It really wasn't going well.  
"I'm Miles Pinchetty." He offered his hand. I accepted.  
"Ardelle Novak." I sighed again. "I'm just having trouble with how I should word something." I looked at Miles, his long, dark messy hair  
falling into his eyes. He looked almost docile. He wasn't a pompous megalomaniac like most Slytherins were thought of to be.

"Do you think you were sorted into the right house?" I asked vaguely.  
"Dunno." He murmured. "You not happy here?" I considered for a moment, choosing my words with caution.  
"It's not that I'm unhappy. It's just my sister was perfect little miss Gryffindor. I just didn't think I'd be here."  
"You think it makes you a bad person." It wasn't a question. He eyed me astutely.  
"No of course not." I wasn't fooling anyone, "Does it?"  
"There's good and bad in everyone. Every house has its bullies, not just Slytherin. I don't think anyone is entirely bad or entirely good. If  
everything was as black and white as that, then I don't think there would be a single interesting person alive." He spoke calmly and rationally.  
I smiled. Feeling daring, I said, "You sound like you should have been put in Ravenclaw." Miles looked away, deep in thought. After a Few moments he spoke.  
"No, not really. I wasn't sure about it at first but this is where I  
belong. "  
I eyed the parchment all around me and I crumpled up my latest attempt I started again.

_Dear Mum, Dad & Gabrielle,_

_I'm in Slytherin. I've made some friends and I'm happy here._

_Love  
Ardelle_

"Thanks Miles," I beamed. "I have to go owl this but it was really nice to meet you."  
"Bye", I heard Miles say as I left the common room, beaming with a new sense of house pride.

-----

AN A Extra special thank you to my wonderful Beta WretchedOne. Next Chapter coming soon.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The owls from home arrived the next day. I had been dreading mine since the sorting. I saw my mothers' owl, Silversides, flying towards me. He dropped a little white envelope in front of me then flew off again.

I looked at Nayeli next to me. Her parents had sent her a hamper full of goodies. There were sweets, chocolates and silly little tricks from Zonko's, which I would hopefully be privy to. After all, I did decide to make her my best friend. Of course I hadn't told Nayeli this yet but I'm sure she'd oblige.

I looked over at Lilah, who had received a long letter and a copy of the Daily Prophet, and decided that I'd put it off for as long as I could. Fingers trembling slightly, I opened my letter. As I read it I felt my face flush and my eyes prickle with tears. I shoved it unceremoniously into my bag and disguised myself with a big smile.

"Can I have a chocolate frog please, Nayeli?"

We had History of Magic first period. When the ghost of our professor appeared through the blackboard I thought for the smallest moment this class could be interesting. Just goes to show you how wrong first impressions can be. We were taught by the dullest person in the universe: Professor Binns. However Nayeli and I made up some other nicknames for him too, my personal favourite being Dead Boring and the meanest of which being to rude to write down.

We shared this class with Griffindor. Two rows in front of us sat a homely looking girl who couldn't keep her arm out of the air. There's one in every class. A teachers pet. Someone so desperate for the teachers' attention she would now be facing the stigma of being a swot for the next seven years. To make matters worse, her name was Ingrid! Ingrid Adroit. Even her parents had a downer on her! By the end of the lesson she had earned 20 points for Griffindor.

Later we had transfiguration where we were given a lecture by the teacher, Professor McGonagall, before we even started. "Transfiguration is one of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at your time here at Hogwarts", she had said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back." She demanded respect and you'd be a fool not to comply. To her credit she was fair. She was just as harsh on the Griffindors as she was on the Slytherins.  
Regrettably, McGonagall gave us our first homework assignment of the term. I decided to head down to the library after dinner and get it out of the way.

The library was a labyrinth of shelves with any magical book you could ever need to find. Books on invisibility, quidditch books, text books, biographies of famous wizards, and a restricted section for darker books. I took a seat at an empty table and pulled out my transfiguration book and a scrap of parchment, only to realise it was my letter from home. I looked around to make sure I was alone before reading it again.

_Dear Ardelle,  
You are being very brave but you needn't put up a front for us. We are just as disappointed as you must be at this dreadful news. Your mother bumped into Mrs Harrop yesterday and she asked about you and your sorting. She had to tell her we didn't know yet. You understand, with all these Death Eater attacks in the paper, we don't really want people to think that you're best friends with their sons and daughters. Surely you can imagine how that would reflect on us. We owled Dumbledore to see if he'll let you  
change houses but he said that the hat's decision is final. We're sorry, dear. If only you'd turned out more like your sister; this would never have happened to Gabrielle. Hold in there and please be careful who you  
make friends with.  
Love from all of us,  
Mum, Dad and Gabrielle_

_P.S. Make sure you lock your trunk at night; you have no idea what sort of people you're living with._

I don't know why reading it made me so upset. I had always assumed Gabrielle was my parents' favourite but to have it confirmed on paper hurt. I glanced over the empty space where kisses should be. They were so disappointed in me. Ashamed of me even! I breathed a huge sigh and looked towards the doorway.

The swotty girl from our class, Ingrid Adroit was making a beeline for me, clearly under the delusion she could turn my frown upside down.

"Are you okay?" She smiled sympathetically at me. Her hand now on my shoulder. I winced and escaped her grasp; she was last thing I needed right now.

"Are you homesick?" Her voice was a feeble warble.

"I'm just trying to get on with my homework. So, if you'll excuse me..."  
I said pointedly, but perhaps not pointedly enough, as the girl was now pulling up chair next to me. I decided to bury myself in my text book and pray she'd go away.

"Ah, McGonagall's. I was just about to do mine. Fascinating subject, Transfiguration, isn't it? Being able to change things into anything you want. I'm muggle-born so this is like a whole new world to me."  
"I wouldn't brag about that if I was you", I said curtly, not looking up from my book.  
"Why?" She asked wide-eyed, twiddling the end of her plait nervously. This girl was oblivious to my blatant dislike for her. I sighed heavily and stopped pretending to read my book.

"Because, Ingrid", I sneered, "Pureblood wizards don't want Mudbloods like you polluting the magical gene pool."  
"Oh." She looked a little hurt. I didn't care. I had my own problems. Still not deterred, she turned to me again.

"Are you pureblood?"  
"No, halfblood." The words were out of my mouth before I knew it. Crap! What was I thinking?

"Don't tell any one!" I added, noticing a hint of hysteria in my voice. Ingrid noticed too. She gave me another sickeningly sympathetic smile. I couldn't bare her gaze another moment. I turned my attention back to my homework.

After a few minutes of reading and not taking in a single word, I threw my book down on the desk with a grunt of frustration. The librarian Madame Pince looked over at me, a look of shock and disgust on her face.

"Want any help?" asked the irritating do-gooder to my right. I decided I deserved some sort of reimbursement for the saint-like patience I'd had with her.

I must have truly hit rock bottom because I said, "Please."

---AN

Many thank again to my Beta Wretched One.

Now I've set the characters up i promise the storys gonna involve more Malfoy and HBP crossover. So please keep reading.


	6. Chapter 6

----------

I woke the next morning full of anticipation. It was the day of my first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. I returned to the common room after breakfast to get my books, only to find a sneering Malfoy brandishing a copy of the Daily Prophet in his hand. He looked half annoyed and half proud.

"'In the early hours of yesterday morning, there was a raid on Malfoy Manor. It seems the ministry was acting on a tip off from a reliable source.'" Malfoy read aloud. "Ha! They won't find anything!" He threw the paper to the floor. He didn't seem to notice or care that I had entered the room. He just continued ranting to Crabbe and Goyle. "Nothing I care about them finding anyway." He smirked. His friends looked at him with awe. I continued walking to the girls dormitory, my ears straining as I went.

"They're looking in the wrong places. You'd be surprised at the amount of dark magic lurking around these days, even in this school."  
I heard him laugh snarkily, and then I was too far away. I climbed the steps to the dormitory two at a time, grabbed my books and bag, and made my way back downstairs. Yet when I crossed the room again I was disappointed to see Malfoy sitting alone, reading the paper in silence. I have always enjoyed a small amount of eavesdropping. I guessed his fat friends had gone to the Great Hall for seconds. This time, however, Malfoy did acknowledge my presence.

"Morning," I said politely. He nodded back, a little snigger escaping.

"Hey, girl!" He called after me. I turned.

"What?"

"What's your name?" He asked. Why would he care? I must have looked surprised because he continued. "It's just that I'm a prefect." He stood up and walked over to me. "Thought I'd make an effort to get to know the first years."

"Oh," I said embarrassedly, "I'm Ardelle Novak." He was now quite close to me. He had a heart shaped face and dazzling blue eyes. He reached his hand towards me.

"You've got a hair on your robes there, Ardelle." He pulled it off and smiled at me. Well, it was still more of a smirk than a smile, but I couldn't help but smile back.

"Oh, thanks", I said sheepishly. "See you later, then."

I walked out of the common room with a big silly grin. I decided that Malfoy was one of those lads who puts on a big show for his friends, but was a genuinely nice person when on his own.

My happiness was short lived; I bumped into Ingrid in the corridor. I resolved to be civil towards her. I did get very good marks for my transfiguration assignment. So I decided to forebear her company a little longer.

However she was in my Defence Against The Dark Arts class and seemed determined to sit with me until I was rescued by Nayeli. She, in less than polite words, told Ingrid where to go and sat between me and Lilah. I did feel a little guilty when I saw Ingrid's pained expression but I didn't have time to dwell on it.

The bat like figure of our Head of House entered the room, slamming the door magically closed behind him. His robes billowed out behind him as he walked up to the desk at the front of the room. Silence ensued. Love him or hate him, Professor Snape knew how to make an entrance. He turned and glowered at us.

"Do not get out your books yet. I wish to speak to you and I want your fullest attention", He drawled silkily. "In this class you will learn of the shadowy beasts that walk this earth, the very things nightmares are made of. In this room you may face your deepest fears and in these dark times you'd do well to pay attention. The Dark Arts are ever varied, ever changing. Fighting them is like fighting a many headed monster. Each time a head is severed, it sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before." His voice seemed almost passionate as he spoke, soft and low.

"Your defences must therefore be as flexible and as inventive as the arts you seek to undo. I don't suppose many of you will prove yourselves auspicious in this most complex subject, but hopefully I can fill you with enough knowledge to survive these dangerous times." His gaze swept over us all in turn. Lilah's mouth was agape as she stared in awe at our professor.

He then set about quizzing us on the books that were on our required reading list. There was no way he could've expected us to know half the questions he asked us. He awarded points to Slytherin when we got them right and took away from Gryffindor when they got them wrong. If he thought a Slytherin didn't know the answer, he wouldn't ask them, but if he thought a Gryffindor was equally unknowledgable, he would move in for the kill.

"What is a patronus?"

"What is the difference between an animagus and a werewolf?"

"Can anyone tell me the counter spell to Colloportus and its effects?"

He sneered at those who got a question wrong and looked almost disappointed when a Gryffindor got one right. He'd already taken a particular dislike to a small Gryffindor boy who was plainly to become the class whipping boy. He had ginger hair, freckles, glasses and his name was Fergus Farron.

After a few harsh words and an icy glare from Snape, the boy looked close to tears. I heard Nayeli sniggering next to me. Fergus was relieved when a bell rang to announce the end of the lesson. In his haste to escape, he accidentally knocked his ink pot over. The look on his face as Snape approached his work bench was hilarious: eyes wide, mouth open in shock. My fellow Slytherins and I couldn't help but let out a little titter.

"Mr Farron I suggest you leave this classroom before you destroy the rest of the furniture." Snape drawled menacingly. He cleared the mess with an easy wave of his wand. Fergus stood rooted to the spot, too scared to move, until a fellow Gryffindor seized his arm and frogmarched him out of the room.

That afternoon, we had our first Potions class with Professor Slughorn, a balding man with a fat red face and a walrus-like moustache. He took an instant like to Nayeli. It turned out that her family ran one of the largest chains of potion suppliers in Britain. Several others turned out to be equally well connected. Tragically I was not ranked alongside these few, with a stay-at-home mother and boringly average father. If he'd have known my sister, then maybe I would have ended up as a 'Slug Club' favourite too, but I would have been expected to be just like her. And that is a feat I have so far failed to do, much to the chagrin of my loving mother and father.

Later I told Nayeli and Lilah about my meeting with Malfoy. Nayeli squealed and laughed, Lilah giggled covering her mouth with her hand. She still didn't say much, though whether that was because she was shy or because Nayeli and I didn't give her a chance remained to be seen. For the minutes that we sat chatting and laughing, I felt truly at home. I'd manage to find two people I really enjoyed being around, and more importantly, they seemed to like having me around too.

We laughed at the same jokes and complained about the same things. I could imagine us becoming quite close friends. I'd always wanted friends who were so close they were almost family.  
After all the fun and giggling, I found myself subdued by the news that both Lilah and Nayeli had been invited to a 'Slug Club' supper. My invite, however, had never arrived. That was fine. It's not like I really cared or wanted to go. It just would've been nice to have been asked. It would've been nice.  
----------

AN

Thanks againn to my beta Wretched One and I'm sorry I've been a little later than usual updating this. School and stuff but next weeks half term so another chappie will be coming your way soon.

Disclaimer - Yeah I borrowed some actual text from HBP in this chapter I dont own it but I thought Snape would be the kind of guy who spent ages working on his speech and use the same one for every class. So dont sue me. Please.

Thanks for reading and a really big thanks to my loyal reviewers, you know who you are. I really appreciate it. Its your interest that keeps me motivated to write more.

xxxxxMegxxxxx


	7. Chapter 7

In the days that followed Slughorns supper I felt increasingly isolated from the other two girls. I didn't think they were doing it on purpose but I felt awkward as they laughed at in-jokes I didn't get and talked about people I didn't know. I had set my mind to study hard and be one of Slughorns protégés; not because I cared what he thought, just because I wanted to spend more time with my friends.

This plan meant I'd been spending a lot of time in the library, much to the delight of Ingrid. We were pouring over Standard Potion Making, Potions for Beginniners and The Encyclopaedia of Potion Ingredients and Their Uses.

"You know, potions isn't that different to chemistry", Ingrid informed me.

"What's Chemistry?" I asked, nonplussed.

"It's a muggle science. I haven't done that much but we went on this school trip once. There was this guy, a scientist, and he showed us some cool stuff. He made a liquid change colours by adding a drop of another  
chemical to it, and he poured liquid oxygen on the floor and it vanished before it hit the ground and he made stuff explode!" Her voice was an excited whisper.

"Muggle magic? Cool." I was honestly interested. What strange lives these muggles led. "Do you miss your friends from muggle school?" She nodded then shrugged. Her big eyes became slightly moist.

"They all think I'm at some boarding school. I couldn't tell them. They all think my parents were snobs who wanted me to go a posh school."

"What did your parents think when they found out?" I asked. I couldn't imagine how Muggles could believe that there was another world that didn't include them.

From what I'd seen they were only too happy to bury their heads in the sand or believe that their way of life was the only way of life.

"My dad got all upset. This wasn't normal. I wasn't normal. He thought I should be a lawyer or doctor or something. Definitely go to university. He did and so did his dad before him. We had someone from the ministry come round to our house; someone from Muggle relations. He told us all about the school, the opportunities, and the wizarding world. I think it was all a bit much for Dad." She spoke in her soft little voice, never looking up from her book. She seemed to be in a sort of trance before snapping herself out of it. "Mum took it better." A smile now spread over her features.

"I think mothers always know their child a little better than fathers. She'd seen things she couldn't explain. I had always been a strange child, not quite fitting into the Muggle world. I think mum had to convince dad about letting me come here. I used to hear them argue about it some nights." She stopped, lost in thought.

"That sounds awful", I said in a sympathetic voice I had never heard myself use.

"No, not really. I mean no one wants to hear their parents argue but I used to sneak out of my room and listen at the top of the stairs. I could hear mum sticking up for me."

Yeah, I imagined that would be nice. I had never considered the troubles muggleborns would face. It must be annoying when you see an old friend and can't show them all the cool stuff you'd learned at school. Or by the same merit curse an old enemy. To live in both worlds and belong to neither.

At that moment a bushy haired 6th year and the infamous Harry Potter walked in. Ingrid sat staring at them with a silly smile on her face. I recognized it as one I myself had worn after my encounter with Draco Malfoy.

"He opened the door for me the other day", Ingrid crooned ruefully. I giggled and sang "Ingrid loves Harry" until she blushed redder than Slughorn's nose.

I made my way back to the dungeons feeling a step closer to becoming a Slughorn favorite. I'd have to negotiate this carefully, walking the fine line between being noticeably intelligent and a know-it-all.

"Midnight stars," I told the lady in the wispy black dress. Her portrait swung forward to let me in. The common room was fairly busy. I couldn't see Lilah or Nayeli anywhere, or any of my year for that matter. I  
thought they were probably in the dorm so I made my way across the room when a voice stopped me.

"Hi Ardelle." I turned with great anticipation. Could it be that Malfoy was talking to me again? No.

"Hi Miles." I noticed the disappointment in my voice but gave Miles a reassuring smile. I noticed he was alone again. "What you up to?"

"Not a lot. Just looking through this." He tossed a catalogue on the table in front of him.

"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," I read. "Didn't Dumbledore say that there was a blanket ban on all stuff bought from them?"

"Yeah. But these guys are cool. If you order something they make it look like a package from home so there are no raised eyebrows when it's delivered. They're smart guys, last year when they were still pupils here they did some of the coolest pranks this school has ever seen. They had a swamp and fireworks, oh, and the sweets we used to give ourselves Umbrigitis. It was chaos. Pure genius." He smiled wistfully.

I had no idea what Umbrigitis was but I was intrigued. No one had pulled any pranks so far this term.

"Can I have a look?" I asked.

"You can have it. I ordered half the catalogue already." He slid it over to me.

"Thanks." As I walked back to my room I couldn't figure out why Miles always seemed to be sitting alone. He seemed like a nice enough lad who should have loads of friends. So why didn't he? This thought plagued my thoughts till I reached the top of the stairs and entered the dormitory. All the other girls were already there.

"Hi! Where've you been, babe?" Nayeli cried. "We've been having a little mothers meeting."

"I was just in the library." I said, dumping my bag by my bed.

"Ergh! Was horse face in there?" All the girls laughed raucously.

"Who?" I asked. Nayeli smiled devilishly.

"Ingrid Adroit. Don't you think she looks like a horse?"

"More like a Thestral 'cause she's so skinny!" exclaimed Pearle. Just because you're so fat… I thought it but didn't say it.

"And you could use her frizzy little plaits as reins", Claudette chipped in.

"Aw guys don't be sly." I realised what kind of mother's meeting they had been having. It was more like a bitching session. Nayelis' smile faded.

"Why not." She was off the bed and walking towards me. "She's a mudblood you know?"

"No, I didn't know," I lied. "She can't help it though, can she?" I couldn't believe my ears, and neither could Nayeli. Was I actually defending Ingrid Adroit? Nayeli eyed me with a disturbingly cold look. I decided to back peddle as fast as I could.

"She's good for a laugh though isn't she? Today she was swooning over Harry Potter. Like someone as famous as him would go out with someone as plain and" Merlin forgive me "Horse-like as her." Nayeli's cat like grin reappeared.

"She's pathetic." Nayeli waved her hand frantically in the air, jumping up and down and contorting her lips to give herself a buck-toothed appearance.

"Sir! Sir!" She imitated Ingrid painfully accurately. The other girls roared with laughter, but Lilah's laugh disappointed me most. She could be such a nice girl and here she was, getting corrupted by these bitches. But I laughed too. It was expected of me.

-------

Thanks again to my Beta Wretched One and hopefully my next chapter will be up soon.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Ingrid had taken to greeting me in classes, in corridors and worst of all, in front of Nayeli. At first I tried ignoring her but that seemed to make her think I hadn't heard her. So I started acknowledging her presence with a quick "Hi Ingrid", and then turning to my friends and shrugging like I'd never seen her before in my life. As we giggled away Ingrid looked more hurt and confused than ever.

Lilah and Nayeli didn't care for my number one fan following me around.

"Mudblood lover!" they teased. Before long I became the butt of their private jokes. I would sit next to them at dinner only to hear them go silent, or giggle, or ask me seemingly innocuous questions then guffaw manically at my response. I was getting sick of this. I was not going to put up with it anymore.

Next time I went to the library I saw Ingrid at our usual table with another Gryffindor girl. Strange, I'd always assumed Ingrid had no other friends.

"This is Marrisa," said Ingrid. Marrisa was a plump girl with rosy cheeks and a pudding basin fringe. She eyed me disapprovingly. No doubt Ingrid had invited her along to confront me about my odd behaviour towards her.

"Ingrid," she said pompously. "What did you expect? Have you not noticed what house she's in?" Her voice was sickeningly patronising. I took my usual seat.

"And what do you mean by that Marrisa?" I asked as sweetly as I could, with the seething bitterness I felt inside.

"Ingrid," she said as she turned back to her friend, "she's a Slytherin. That means she's a selfish pureblood bitch who thinks she's better than us."

"You're wrong. For a start Ardelle's not a pureblood," Ingrid proclaimed.

"You might want to keep that down." I winced. I also noticed that she had chosen not to defend me as being unselfish or not a bitch.

"Is there somewhere you need to be, Marrisa?" I hissed. She looked at Ingrid, who obviously sensed that this had not being a good idea. She dismissed Marrisa with a nod.

"Bloody hell! What did you bring her for?" I spat. Ingrid stared at me deeply.

"Have I done something to upset you?" She toyed nervously with her quill. I sighed. Why did I feel so crappy?

"No Ingrid. I like you but in a way Marrisa's right. I don't think Slytherins and Gryffindors are supposed to get on. I mean, I don't mind chatting and working together in here, but outside this room I think we should go back to being strangers. I mean, your friends don't like me, they probably don't want you hanging out with a Slytherin." I felt so underhanded, choosing my words with such care. "So maybe we could just be library buddies?" A fair weather friend. Could I sink any lower? Ingrid accepted my proposal of a secret friendship graciously. I decided I didn't feel like studying anymore and I made my way back to the common room.

As I ascended the stairs to the girls dormitory I could hear laughter. As soon as I entered it subsided, until nervous giggles broke the silence. They had just being talking about me. I felt sick.

"What have you been talking about girlies?" I asked brightly and snarkily. As if I didn't already know. It did however give me some amusement to see Pearle and Collette struggle for an answer. Nayeli, however, never missed a beat.

"Transfiguration."

"Really? Sounded like you found transfiguration hilarious." I hissed. They had been talking about me. I wished I knew what they had said.

"You didn't hear who we were transfiguring into what." The other girls giggled.

"Ah, I see." I shook my head. I'd thought we could be such good friends. What had they been saying? I wished I'd listened longer at the door. I picked up my Weasley Wizard Wheezes catalogue and left. I didn't want to stay in that room a moment longer.

I was going to prank them. I had to do something. Miles had told me about some of the things these Weasleys had pulled. Maybe I'd enchant a shampoo to turn their hair into snakes. Very Slytherin! Or maybe cast a cross-eyed curse!

I sat alone in the common room, flicking through my catalogue fervently. I scanned the inventory and I found the very thing that I wanted:

"Extendible Ears. They fit under doors so you can hear the quietest conversation as clear as day and are perfect for all your eavesdropping needs."

I could probably turn them all against each other, make them think one of them is a snitch. Even if I didn't at least I'd know what was wrong with me, why they all hated me. I also bought some canary creams and a joke wand, because I thought I needed a bit of fun. I owled my order that night and now I just had to wait for my loot to arrive.

---------

AN

Thamks again to my Beta Wretched One and sorry its taken me so long to post this.


End file.
